Grapevine plant named &#39;15-97-77&#39;

ABSTRACT

This new table grape cultivar ‘15-97-77’ is distinct because of its unusual shape, very firm texture and very large berry size. Berries of the new cultivar are very responsive to applications of exogenous gibberellic acid, almost doubling in size in comparison to untreated fruit. At full maturity in mid-September, berries are extremely firm and sweet.

GENUS AND SPECIES

[0001]Vitis vinifera

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The new table grapevine ‘15-97-77’ is of Vitis viniferaparentage. It is the result of an effort to produce a late-ripening,black, seedless table grape with fruit characteristics superior tocurrently available black cultivars ‘Fantasy Seedless’ (unpatented) and‘Negrita’ (unpatented). The female, seeded parent (unnamed) resultedfrom a series of crosses involving ‘Hunisa’, ‘Emperor’, and ‘ThompsonSeedless’. The male parent of the cross is an unnamed, seedlessgrapevine resulting from a series of crosses involving ‘Emperor’,‘Thompson Seedless’, and ‘Almeria’. The hybridization resulting in‘15-97-77’ was made near McFarland, Calif. in 1994. Seeds from the crosswere collected, stratified, and finally planted in a greenhouse inJanuary of 1995. The seedling population of 60 plants was planted in thefield in the spring of 1995. The new cultivar was selected 1997. It wasthen propagated by cuttings and grafting to ‘Freedom’ rootstock in 1998.Those resulting plants were stable and typical of the original vine.

[0003] The new grapevine variety, cv. ‘15-97-77’ is quite distinctiveand unlike any other table grape available on the market. Its very largeberries are obovate and average over 10 g with applications of exogenousgibberellic acid. The large clusters average over 1500 g under standardcultural practices, but are quite loose and amenable to packing for coldstorage purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0004] The accompanying drawing illustrates the following:

[0005]FIG. 1: Fruit clusters on the vine.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The following description of grapevine ‘15-97-77’ containsreferences to color names taken from the Munsell Color Chart for PlantTissues, published by Munsell Color, New Windsor, N.Y. Descriptors usedherein conform to those set forth by the International Board for PlantGenetic Resources Institute Grape Descriptors (Vitis spp.) of 1983and/or 1997 which were developed in collaboration with the OfficeInterantional de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) and the International Unionfor the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).

[0007] Descriptions of the new invention apply to vines of ‘15-97-77’grown on ‘Freedom’ rootstock at a density of 1,537 vines per hectaregrown in Kern County, California in 2001. These vines were in theirfirst year of full production having been planted in 1998. Thesedescriptions are believed to apply generally to the new variety grownunder similar circumstances elsewhere:

VINE

[0008] General:

[0009]Size.—Large.

[0010]Vigor.—High.

[0011]Density of foliage.—Moderate.

[0012]Productivity.—Very productive when spur pruned, up to 70,610kg./hectare.

[0013]Trunk circumference.—12.5 cm. at 1 meter height.

[0014]Rootstock.—Freedom.

[0015] Trunk:

[0016]Shape.—Medium.

[0017]Straps.—Long, split.

[0018]Surface texture.—Shaggy.

[0019]Inner bark color.—2.5YR 5/6.

LEAVES

[0020] Mature leaves:

[0021]Average blade length.—16.8 cm.

[0022]Average blade width.—20.3 cm.

[0023]Size of blade.—Large.

[0024]Shape.—Pentagonal.

[0025]Anthocyanin coloration of main veins on the upper side of theblade.—Absent.

[0026]Mature leaf profile.—Flat.

[0027]Blistering surface of blade upper surface.—Absent.

[0028]Leaf blade tip.—In plane of the leaf.

[0029]Undulation of margin.—Slight.

[0030]Apex.—Broadly acuminate.

[0031]Thickness.—Medium.

[0032]Undulation of blade between main and lateral veins.—Slight.

[0033]Shape of teeth.—Conical, both sides convex.

[0034]Length of teeth.—5-10 mm.

[0035]Ratio length/width of teeth.—About 1:1.

[0036]General shape of petiole sinus.—Variable — open (ovate) to closed.

[0037]Tooth at petiole sinus.—Absent.

[0038]Petiole sinus limited by veins.—Absent.

[0039]Shape of upper lateral sinus.—Closed.

[0040]Prostrate hairs between veins on lower surface of blade.—Absent.

[0041]Erect hairs between hairs on lower surface of blade.—Absent.

[0042]Prostrate hairs on main veins on lower surface of blade.—Absent.

[0043]Density of erect hairs on main veins on lower surface ofblade.—Sparse. — hairs distributed along entire length of main veins.

[0044]Prostrate hairs on main veins on upper surface of blade.—Absent.

[0045]Autumn coloration.—Retains green coloration until frost withreddening of margins.—5R 3/8.

[0046] Upper surface:

[0047]Color.—7.5 GY 4/4 to 4/6.

[0048]Surface texture.—Smooth.

[0049]Surface appearance.—Dull.

[0050]Goffering of blade.—Absent.

[0051] Lower surface:

[0052]Color.—5GY 5/8 to 5/10.

[0053]Anthocyanin coloration of main veins on lower leaf surface.—Weak.

[0054]Glossiness.—Low.

[0055]Pubescence.—Absent.

[0056]Surface texture.—Smooth.

[0057]Surface appearance.—Dull.

[0058] Petiole:

[0059]Length of petiole.—15.0 cm.

[0060]Length of petiole compared to middle vein.—About equal.

[0061]Density of prostrate hairs on petiole.—Absent.

[0062]Density of erect hairs on petiole.—Sparse.

[0063]Shape of base of petiole sinus.—Mostly closed, inside outline isovate.

[0064] Woody shoot:

[0065]Shape.—Stocky.

[0066]Internode length.—About 11.0 cm.

[0067]Width at node.—About 1.5 cm.

[0068]Cross section.—Circular.

[0069]Surface.—Smooth.

[0070]Main color 5YR 5/6.

[0071]Lenticels.—Inconspicuous.

[0072]Erect hairs on nodes.—Absent.

[0073]Erect hairs on internodes.—Absent.

[0074]Growth of axillary shoots.—Prolific.

[0075] Buds:

[0076]Shape.—Slightly pointed.

[0077]Cane bud fruitfulness.—Basal buds fruitful, 1-2 clusters pershoot.

FLOWERS

[0078] General:

[0079]Flower sex.—Perfect.

[0080]Position of first flowering nodes.—Usually the 4^(th).

[0081]Number of inflorescences per shoot.—1 or 2.

[0082]Date of full bloom.—May 8, 2001.

[0083]Time of bloom.—Early compared to other varieties growing in thearea around McFarland, Calif.

FRUIT

[0084] General:

[0085]Ripening period.—Late, about 1 month after ‘Thompson Seedless’ atDelano, Calif.

[0086]Date of ripening.—About Sep. 1, 2001.

[0087]Use.—Fresh market.

[0088]Keeping quality.—Very good.

[0089]Resistance.—Insects: typical of Vitis vinifera. Diseases: typicalof Vitis vinifera.

[0090]Shipping quality.—Good.

[0091]Date of first harvest.—Sep. 1, 2001.

[0092]Solids-sugar.—High, about 20 brix at full maturity.

[0093]Refractometer test.—23.0 brix.

[0094] Cluster:

[0095]Bunch size.—Large.

[0096]Bunch length (peduncle excluded).—About 34 cm.

[0097]Bunch width.—About 10 cm.

[0098]Bunch weight (natural).—1,046 g.

[0099]Bunch weight (gibberellic acid treated).—1,533 g.

[0100]Bunch density.—Well-filled, but loose.

[0101]Number of berries.—172.

[0102]Form.—Elliptic.

[0103] Peduncle:

[0104]Length of peduncle.—About 10 cm.

[0105]Lignification of peduncle.—Medium.

[0106]Color.—5YR 5/6.

[0107] Berry:

[0108]Size.—Large.

[0109]Uniformity of size.—Uniform.

[0110]Berry weight (natural).—5.6 g.

[0111]Berry weight (gibberellic acid treated).—10.9 g.

[0112]Shape.—Natural: round; Gibberellic acid treated: obovate.

[0113]Presence of seeds.—Rudimentary.

[0114]Cross section.—Circular.

[0115]Dimensions.—Longitudinal axis about 1.5 cm.; horizontal axis about2.3 cm.

[0116]Skin color (without bloom).—5RP 3/2.

[0117]Coloration of flesh.—Clear.

[0118]Juiciness of flesh.—Very juicy.

[0119]Berry firmness.—Very firm.

[0120]Particular flavor.—Neutral, typical vinifera.

[0121]Bloom (cuticular wax).—Strong.

[0122]Pedicel length.—7-10 mm.

[0123]Berry separation from pedicel.—Moderate.

[0124] Skin:

[0125]Thickness.—Medium.

[0126]Texture.—Tender.

[0127]Reticulation.—Absent.

[0128]Roughness.—Absent.

[0129]Tenacity.—Tenacious to flesh.

[0130]Tendency to crack.—Resistant.

1. The new and distinct variety of table grape cultivar ‘15-97-77’herein described, illustrated and identified by the characteristicsenumerated above.